Discuss Natural Childbirth, Home birth, water birth and unmedicated childbirth.Hosts: ? and ?

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Hi everyone! I'm Stephanie and i'm having a little girl
I'm considering Natural Childbirth and i've been reading up on it, on these boards and the general internet. I have what may seem like a silly question. I'm still reading up about episiotomies and I was wondering, is this something you can get done if you're having a natural birth?
What are your thoughts on it rather than tearing?
BTDT momma's i'm all ears
Thanks girls!

I have never had an episiotomy myself. From what I have read in the natural community it is not liked. They say that your body will tear in the correct spot or in the spot that has the tension rather than having a cut done in an area that wouldn't otherwise have torn. If that makes sense. I had a 2nd degree tear with my first and really believe it was because of the epidural position and the legs back position I pushed in. It pulled the perineum back and that is why I tore internally. With my second I hardly had anything. One tiny tear at the top and she was much bigger than my first baby and natural. I also know that if the doctor gives an episiotomy with a natural birth that they should be doing it while the baby is crowning so you already are feeling the burning sensation and the cut isn't quite so painful. And they can use lidocaine to numb it. In general though I am not a fan of episitomies from what I have heard and read.

yes you CAN have one, I would definitely prefer to tear naturally though. I had it explained to me SO wonderfully once that it stuck with me for a long time.

there are 2 problems with an episiotomy, 1 being that a cut may go MUCH deeper than a tear would, and 2, if they don't cut enough, you will tear at the end of the cut.

the way it was explained to me is- take a washcloth, grab the side, and pull it as hard as you possibly can. try everything within you to tear this washcloth apart by puling it and stretching it. The amount of force it would take to tear it is probably more than you can muster right? Now take a pair of scissors, and put a tiny 1/2 inch cut in the middle of one side of the washcloth, and try again. What happens?

That was something I was totally against having done with my daughter, and still am, but I am having a homebirth this time and am not worried that it is a possibility. It is much better for you to just tear- although it's not a given that you will tear either!

it is a barbaric practice that is rarely actually needed- I believe if they use the vacuum though, they do one almost always.

Another thing is how an injury heals, Think of how a paper cut, with smooth sides, burns and itches while it's healing. Then think about how a deep scratch, with jagged edges that can knit back together, you barely feel after a bit. Tearing sounds horrendous, but unless it's a bad tear, they tend to heal faster and better. And as a PP said, there is no guarantee you will tear in the first place. I didn't tear with either of my girls, and my second was breech.

I've had both and found that a natural tear was a lot easier recovery. That said, I had barely any tearing with my first NCB and none at all with my second. With my first three I had an epidural and I think that really contributed to my having more pain later because I couldn't properly feel when to push/stop pushing to let my body naturally stretch.

I've been going over this debate for a while now, and the washcloth example is what seals it for me. I actually cut a rag yesterday for cleaning and was shocked at how easily it tore once there as a little slit!

I've had episiotomies with both boys and and going to insist they let me tear this time around.

I always use the washcloth (well I say t-shirt, but same thing, lol) example as well.

I argued with my OB about the episiotomy in the weeks leading up to my delivery. I had to sign this 'state wide' consent form and if I didn't sign it then I'd have to sign it in the hospital. The very first thing on it said I agreed to an episiotomy, which I did not. I wound up having to sign the dang form, but I wrote next to the episiotomy line that I only 'agreed' to it if they included me in the decision making process at the time that it was 'necessary.'

During my birthing time, I was ready to push but the stupid OB wasn't there yet so I had to wait. By the time she got there and suited up I wasn't contracting like before but decided to push anyway because my hypnobabies had said you're less likely to tear if you push the head out without a contraction because then you can control the forcefulness. Well I only pushed for 8 minutes and my baby was born but the OB did an episiotomy anyway. Personally I don't see how one was necessary because she wasn't stuck like I'd been pushing for hours & hours. They also cut the top of her head when they did it.

At 6 weeks PP my stitches still hadn't disolved like they're supposed to and they pull and are uncomfortable even now. Being stitched back up was the worst part of the whole experience.

I REALLY wish they had let me tear if that was what was going to happen at all... the recovery from being cut has SUCKED.